Honeywell Exploring 3-D Airport Maps

Future versions of Honeywell’s integrated primary flight display (IPFD) might include 3-D airport maps that would give pilots a clear view of the entire airport surface whatever the weather or time of day, the company said. “We are exploring a future functionality expansion for IPFD, and when those features are fully defined we believe it will further increase pilot situational awareness during airport operations,” said Bob Smith, v-p for advanced technology.

Honeywell is testing the new airport map functionality in simulators and on company aircraft so that feedback from flight crews can be incorporated. “Only when we are satisfied with the technology readiness level and our customers tell us we have got it right will we bring it to market,” Smith said. Honeywell and Gulfstream are jointly developing a software upgrade for the PlaneView avionics systems that will bring synthetic-vision imagery to the PFD, but the addition of 3-D airport maps won’t be available for a number of years, Honeywell said.